Published: 21/07/2010 by The Moomie Blog and Forum

I’ve been eating them at least twice a week for the last couple of months, and am still showing no signs of intolerance. They’re just so darned yummy.Personally, I can’t think of anything more versatile to centre a meal around. I mean, they go with EVERYTHING. Except ice-cream, I’m guessing, but then I haven’t tried that. (Yet.)

Chickpeas are called garbanzo beans in the US, which I think is quite cool. Just say the word ‘garbanzo’ out loud – sounds like the name of a clown at the Cirque du Soleil, or a late-night drinking game.
It’s the ultimate ingredient for working moms, students and just about anyone who doesn’t have time to spend the whole day roasting, stewing, pealing, skinning and fiddling.

I know many foodies argue that dried chickpeas, cooked at home, are far superior to canned, but I think the difference is negligible. Even so, though, if you prefer to rehydrate your own at home, just soak a whole lot over night, then drain the next day, divide into portions and freeze. When you’re ready to use them, boil for twenty to thirty minutes and they’re good to go.

Stock your kitchen cupboard with chickpeas. On any night of the week, try two of my favourite options (the quantities are up to you):

1. Brown a few quartered pork sausages in a little olive oil. Remove and set aside, then add some chopped onions and garlic to the same pan and cook until translucent. Add the pork sausage back to the pan, along with some finely chopped rosemary, a cup or two of stock (any kind will do), some tomato paste, and finally some chickpeas (tinned or precooked). Let it all simmer together for about half an hour and et voila – a gorgeous stew. Serve it with crusty bread.

2. Chop up some celery, tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, garlic and mint, mix together with some chickpeas and gorgeous crumbled feta. Season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, dress in lemon juice and olive oil, and serve as a side to your main of choice (seared rib-eye steak would be my choice).

But the recipe I’m about to give you is the best. This is not something you make for your family, or a dinner party (though of course you could, if you want the conversation whittled down to faint murmerings of pleasure and mastication) – this is something you make for yourself, in a bowl. Take that bowl and sit somewhere comfortable, with your feet up, or curled under you, and enjoy. Just stop thinking, and enjoy.

Chickpeas and spinach with poached egg
Serves 2

2tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, finely sliced
100g baby spinach
1 can chickpeas
Juice of half a lemon
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp white vinegar
2 eggs, as fresh as possible
Chilly flakes

Warm the olive oil over a medium to low heat in a frying pan and add the garlic. The oil should not be so hot that the garlic sizzles. When the kitchen becomes fragrant with garlicky aromas, add the spinach. Stir occasionally until the leaves are wilted. (I like to think of it as ‘putting the spinach to sleep’ – is that strange?)
Add the chickpeas and warm through until hot – again, you don’t want to pan to be so hot that you can hear the contents sizzling.
Squeeze the lemon juice over the chickpeas and spinach, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and divide between two warm bowls.
While the spinach in wilting, poach your eggs. Fill a medium pot with water up to about 7cm and bring to the boil. Remove from heat and add the vinegar.
Crack the first egg into a small bowl (I have a lovely little tear-shaped bowl for exactly this purpose), then lower the bowl into the pan and gently plop the egg into the water, disturbing it as little as possible. Repeat with the other egg. Leave for about 4 minutes (the whites should be set, while the yolk is still silken), then remove with a slotted spoon (give it a little ‘wobble’ to remove any excess water) and place on top of the spinach and chickpea mixture. Sprinkle with the chilly flakes and serve.

I love to eat this dish on my own, but I confess it is also heavenly with buttery smoked haddock fillets.